The Arlington Public Library is rolling out the red carpet for Asian American Pacific Islander Month this May and they're inviting locals to join in on the action. With a packed schedule featuring authors' talks, a reading challenge, and cultural performances, they're set to put a spotlight on AAPI's contributions to the nation's culture. Various events are aimed to both educate and entertain the whole community—from kids to adults—and to encourage deeper engagement with Asian and Pacific American history and its impact on U.S. society.

The library is urging folks to broaden their reading horizons by taking part in the AAPI Beanstack Reading Challenge. Participants can snag a badge just by picking up and plowing through titles recommended by the library. Among the promoted authors are literary heavy-hitters like Rohinton Mistry, Hanya Yanagihara, Ocean Vuong, and several others. The reading challenge, which started May 1, will run until the end of the month, according to an announcement on the library’s official website.

Anchoring the month's events is an author talk set for Saturday, May 11. The Arlington Public Library is slated to host AAPI authors Ann Katagiri and Amanda Churchill, who will share their publishing journeys. Katagiri’s children’s book, "Den Chan: The Cat Who Crossed the Ocean," and Churchill’s "The Turtle House" will be featured, with copies available for purchase. Following the headliner talk, the Grace Hula Company is slated to perform and offer a hula lesson to attendees, as detailed in the City of Arlington, Texas.

There’s also something in store for the creatively inclined. The Southeast Branch will host an "Art After Dark: AAPI Heritage" event on Friday, May 17. Adults can seriously get their hands dirty with crafts representing different Asian cultures – like Japanese origami, Korean makeup knots, and Filipino air-dry clay pottery. It's a chance for the community members to learn more about the rich tapestry of Asian artistic traditions.

The library’s AAPI month celebration aims to support both education and fun for families and youths, while also cementing the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the cultural landscape of the U.S. Embracing the diversity that shapes America, the library is making sure that knowledge and appreciation of these cultures is just a page-turn away.